FAAN Projects 17.6m Annual Passenger Capacity at MMIA After Renovation

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has projected an annual passenger capacity of 17.6 million at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, upon completion of the ongoing rehabilitation of Terminals 1 and 2.

In a report titled “When Growth Outpaces Design: The Pressure of Rising Passenger Traffic at MMIA,” FAAN said the combined capacity of the two terminals is expected to rise to about 7,040 passengers per hour, translating to approximately 17.6 million passengers annually.

According to the authority, the figure represents a three- to fourfold increase in annual passenger throughput compared to pre-rehabilitation levels.

“Upon completion, FAAN estimates the combined capacity of Terminals 1 and 2 will grow to about 7,040 passengers per hour, translating to roughly 17.6 million passengers per year. That represents a three- to fourfold increase in annual throughput compared to pre-rehabilitation levels,” the statement read.

Beyond physical expansion, FAAN noted that the modernisation drive extends to operational efficiency and passenger experience. Early gains, it said, are already evident with the introduction of electronic boarding gates and upgraded screening equipment, which have reduced passenger processing times in parts of the old terminal from nearly two hours during peak periods to about one hour.

The authority added that accessibility has become a central focus of the redesign, with new facilities tailored to better accommodate passengers with reduced mobility, families travelling with children, and international travellers accustomed to global hub standards.

The reforms, it said, mark a shift toward a more inclusive and passenger-centred airport experience.

FAAN, however, cautioned that the full benefits of the rehabilitation and modernisation programme would only be realised if infrastructure upgrades are matched by efficient execution, integrated transport planning, and sustained investment in operational systems.

According to the statement, critical supporting systems require sustained focus, a stable power supply, dependable ground-handling operations, and improved surface transport links to and from the airports.

The report underscored that true transformation would depend on more than bricks, steel and glass.

“As with any project of this scale, the path forward is not without friction. Funding timelines must be carefully managed, construction schedules remain vulnerable to delays, and the sheer complexity of keeping a major international hub operational while rebuilding it in real time continues to test planners and contractors alike.

“Beyond the terminals themselves, equally critical supporting systems demand sustained focus, stable power supply, dependable ground-handling operations and improved surface transport links to and from the airports, underscoring that true transformation will depend more than bricks, steel and glass.

“MMIA can rise to the task of rehabilitation and modernisation only if modernisation is matched by efficient execution, integrated transport planning and continued investment in operational systems.

“The airport’s reconstruction represents a major leap forward from congestion to a capacity-ready hub. If completed on schedule, with the new terminal infrastructure delivering on its promises, MMIA could indeed pivot toward the demands of modern air travel capable of handling nearly 20 million travellers annually, and doing so with a passenger experience closer to global standards.”

“For a facility that once groaned under overcrowding and outdated design, this reinvention is historic and potentially transformational for Nigeria’s aviation,” the report says.

The report further stated that FAAN, under the management of Olubunmi Kuku and backed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, had launched Nigeria’s most ambitious aviation infrastructure overhaul in decades.

“A full-scale rehabilitation and expansion of Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s core facilities. The overhaul is wide-ranging, targeting both the passenger experience and the airport’s operational backbone.

“Inside the terminals, layouts are being reconfigured and interiors modernised to improve passenger flow, ease chronic bottlenecks and more clearly separate arriving travellers from those departing, an essential fix for an airport long strained by overlapping movements.

“Airside capacity is also being significantly expanded. Plans include apron enlargement and the installation of additional boarding fingers capable of accommodating more wide-body aircraft, a move intended to reduce ground delays and increase the airport’s ability to handle long-haul traffic.”

“On the landside, new access roads and improved internal connections are being developed to link terminals more seamlessly and ease congestion spilling onto surrounding road networks. For connecting passengers, dedicated transit zones are being introduced, allowing travellers to transfer between flights without repeatedly clearing immigration, bringing MMIA closer to the standards of major international hubs.”

The completion is slated to take about 22 months, during which travelling through MMIA may be inconvenient, but the result promises a dramatically improved passenger experience,” the report said.